by Gina Kincade
Beside him in the truck’s passenger seat, Nicola nodded. “Got it. I’ll be quick.”
He adjusted the air conditioning, making certain she was comfortable. The cool air blew her long, dark curls back from her face. He tried not to stare at her pretty features. He was amazed at how she could always look so good, despite the heat. Once he found out she was from Texas, her tolerance for high temperatures made sense.
“I figured out who Lisa was and why you built your house,” she said. “How long ago were you engaged?”
“Seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s been five years since we broke it off.”
“Do you miss her?”
“Not one bloody bit. She was more concerned about herself and her career than marriage. In fact, I think she just really wanted to be married because everyone else at her firm was married. That way, she didn't have to worry about looking for a date when it came time for all those big corporate events.”
“I'm sorry to hear that.”
“Don't feel sorry for me. It's better that I found out back then before I got hitched to her and had to file for divorce later.”
“So true. Where is she now?”
“I dunno.”
“Aren’t you curious?”
“Nope.”
“You never looked her up on Facebook or LinkedIn?”
“Bloody hell, no. I don’t use social media.”
“It’s very easy. I can show you how. Even Grandpa knows how.”
“I know how, woman. I choose not to use it. Besides, the only stupid stuff on there is videos—like the one you’re in. It’s a waste of time.”
She crossed her long legs. The action momentarily distracted him. He stifled the urge to stroke her knee. “There’s good stuff on social media, too,” she said. “Besides, you can’t hide from the world forever, just because someone broke your heart.”
“Who said she broke my heart? I left before either one of us got hurt.”
“You know, I think—”
“So, tell me about Daniel,” he said, cutting her off. “What kind of guy was he?”
He didn’t want to relive the events that led up to him leaving Lisa. She was gone, plain and simple. Relegated to the past where she belonged. He wasn’t bitter. He just didn’t care to discuss her or how foolish he’d been to stay with her for so long.
“Daniel was a stockbroker,” Nicola said. “He loved what he did. He traveled a lot for work. We used to say that was the secret to our happiness. We spent enough time apart to miss each other. The day he died was like any other day. He boarded a plane for Chicago. The only difference was, he never came back. One of the engines malfunctioned and…the plane…crashed.”
She paused, and he thought she was going to cry, but she didn’t.
“His body was so badly charred, all I had to identify him by was the watch I'd given him for our anniversary one year. It was still on his wrist. I had what was left of his remains cremated, in accordance with his will.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. You seem to be taking it well.”
She shrugged. “He's been dead for five years now. It hurts less as time goes by.”
He nodded. “It's ironic that you work for an airline and he died in an airplane crash.”
“That fact is not lost on me. I think that's part of the reason that I haven't taken a vacation since his death. I tell myself I'm busy with work, but in reality, I just don't want to get on a plane again. This was the first time I've traveled by air since his death. And of course, I only did it to fulfill his last wish.”
“How long were you married?”
“For five years.”
“Do you miss it? Being married, that is?”
“What I miss is having a best friend to talk to about anything. He was good in that aspect. I didn’t miss our constant arguing. Towards the end of our marriage, we’d grown apart. With crazy work schedules and finances taking a toll on us, we’d started to bicker a lot. By the time he died, we were more like friends than lovers.”
“I know the feeling.” He’d felt the exact same with Lisa, only they hadn’t remained friends.
He slowed down as he passed a group of Aboriginal men walking barefoot near the road. They waved as he drove past. He waved back.
Nicola whipped around in the passenger seat, gawking out the back window at them.
“I take it you’ve never seen an Aboriginal before?” he asked.
“Not in person. Only on TV and in magazines.”
“They’re getting to be a rarer sight here, too. They used to make up most of the continent, but now, they’re less than three percent of the population. They were here when Australia was settled back in the 1770s. The British colonists were actually establishing a penal colony—looking for a place to house their criminals.”
“Wow. That must have been interesting for the natives.”
“From what I’ve studied, it was a wild time. The colonists gave no thought to the people already living here. Almost immediately, they started discriminating against them.
“It used to be if you had any drop of Aboriginal blood you were forced to live on Reserves or Missions, work for rations, given minimal education, and you needed governmental approval to marry, visit relatives or any number of things we take for granted.”
She shook her head. “Reminds me of Jim Crow in the U.S.”
“Who’s he?”
“Jim Crow was a system of racial intimidation and discrimination that restricted the civil rights of black citizens. Basically, it was a set of laws that made segregation legal. It affected everything from schools to homes, restrooms, and even drinking fountains.”
“Sounds like racism.”
“It was.”
“Pretty much like Apartheid in Africa, and similar to what’s going on now in the Dominican Republic.”
“You know your history. I’m impressed.”
“If you don’t know your past, you’re doomed to repeat it.”
“True. Our countries have a lot of similarities. Yours started as a colony for criminals. Ours was from people seeking refuge from religious persecution. In both cases, the oppressed ended up being the oppressors.”
For the next thirty minutes, they talked about world history, politics, and entertainment. Leif couldn’t believe they were actually getting along. Not for the first time, he thought Nicola Mills wasn’t so bad. Any woman who would go to such lengths to fulfill her dead husband’s wishes was a woman of honor. She was more than a privileged Yank. Under other circumstances, she might actually be someone he liked.
CHAPTER NINE
Hours later, Nicola stood on the deck of a large pontoon boat, with the wind whipping her hair. She licked her lips, tasting the salt in the air. She couldn’t believe she was sailing in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. True to his word, Leif got her safely to Cairns. Booking passage on the boat was easy. She and thirty other folks were herded onto the vessel and quickly taken to a stopping point in the massive waterway where they would be able to snorkel or dive. She had no desire to participate in recreational activities. She’d come here for one purpose, and once it was done, she was out of here.
She navigated toward a less populated end of the boat, where she could be away from the crowd. She gazed out into the crystal blue water. This place really was beautiful. She could see the water teeming with wildlife and colorful coral.
“This is one of the Seven Wonders of the World,” she overheard the tour guide say.
It was a wonder she’d finally made it here. She pulled the metal urn from her backpack and twisted the top off. For five years it had sat on the mantle in her townhouse. She wondered if she’d feel strange seeing the empty space when she returned home.
She took a deep breath. “This is for you, Daniel. Sorry it took me so long. Please forgive me.”
She’d waited long enough to fulfill his wishes. There was no use dragging it out. Without further preamble, she dumped the contents into the waters below. She leaned ov
er the railing and watched the gray ashes fly over the side. Some of the substance dissipated in the air before hitting the tranquil blue surface. Good thing it wasn’t too windy. As she watched the fine dust settle, she waited for some sort of emotion to wash over her. She’d expected this to be a life-changing event. She figured she’d see flashes of her life with Daniel pass before her eyes. Maybe old memories would resurface.
Nope.
Nothing.
Just the sound of her fellow passengers, oohing and aahing over the amazingness of the reef.
“Feel better now?”
She didn’t need to turn around to know that Leif was at her side. By now, she knew the sound of his voice and the smell of his light, coastal scent.
His question wasn’t asked in a sarcastic tone. He sounded more concerned than anything. She shook her head. “Funny, I don’t feel anything different. The journey was more eventful than the destination.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I’d imagine nothing can top your journey.”
“Seriously, I don’t know what I expected. But now that I’m here, it’s, well…a letdown.”
“Maybe it’s not about you. It’s about Daniel. This was his desire. You fulfilled it. I must say I’m impressed.”
She gazed up at him. His baby blues were more captivating than any of the Seven Wonders of the World. “I can’t believe I impressed you. This could be a first—a foreigner who’s actually worthy of your respect.”
“Not the first, but the first in a long time.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
She gripped the pontoon’s railing. “It’s over. What am I supposed to do now?”
“You could try enjoying yourself.”
She smirked. “This from the man who isolates himself in the middle of nowhere.”
He grinned. “I’m not isolated. I have the company of animals.”
An errant breeze ruffled his hair. She fought the urge to rake the strands with her fingers. She cleared her throat. “Thank you for getting me here safe and sound. I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot.”
He swatted the air. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I was an arse.”
She couldn’t stop a grin from creeping across her face. “I won’t argue with that.”
“Oh? Now, you choose to agree with me on something?”
One of the tour guides strolled by, holding out snorkeling gear. “Ready to snorkel or dive?” the man asked her.
“Oh, no,” Nicola protested. “No thanks.”
“You just came to look?”
“Something like that.”
He shrugged. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know.”
When the man walked away, Leif elbowed her. “Aw, c’mon. You came all the way here. Why not enjoy yourself?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t feel…right.”
“Why? Because you’ve just scattered Daniel’s ashes? You can’t stop living. I don’t think Daniel would have wanted that either.”
“What about my injuries? My ankle is still bandaged up.”
He glanced at her bare toes. “You know that’s gauze, not a cast. I can unwrap it.”
“I don’t want to trouble you.”
“Woman, you know trouble is what you do best.” His chuckle took the sting out of his words, and she couldn’t help but laugh with him. “Besides, I have more bandages in my Jeep. I can rewrap you and you’ll be good as new.”
She gazed out again at the deep blue waters. She’d come this far. She’d done as Daniel had requested. Now, the best way to get closure was to move on for good. What better way to do it than by letting Leif be her personal tour guide? In fact, the more she thought about it, the better it sounded. This country was too beautiful to leave without further exploration.
She turned to him. “Oh, wait! I don’t have a swimsuit. I can’t very well go skinny dipping in the Great Barrier Reef.”
His eyes flickered with interest. “Now, that’s a vacation these tourists would never forget.”
“Nor would I.”
“But you can still stroll along the beach without a swimsuit.”
“Yeah, me and my crutches.” She pointed to the pair resting against the rail.
“You won’t be able to cross the sand with those. So, I guess I’ll have to carry you on my back.”
“What! Now who’s acting mad as a cut snake?”
He flashed his pearly whites. “No fair using my words against me.”
“You can’t cart me around on your back.”
“I think you underestimate my strength.”
“I think you seriously underestimate my weight.”
“Okay, if you won’t cooperate, then at least let me take you on a tour of some of my favorite spots in Australia. No agency can show you around like I can.”
That was true. He was a damn sight better than McSeever. “Why are you being so nice to me? You’re not feeling sorry for me because of this, are you?” She pointed to the empty urn as she tucked it back into her backpack.
“No bloody way. You think I’d feel sorry for some uptight, spoiled Yank?”
“When you put it like that, I guess not.”
“Good. So do you agree to let me show you the highlights of my country?”
“Yes.”
“I know just the place to start.”
***
Leif couldn’t have planned their afternoon more perfectly if he’d tried. He surprised himself by coming up with an impromptu itinerary. Few people other than the tour guides knew Queensland the way he did. He used his expertise to show Nicola all the tourist sites and even a few areas foreigners didn’t get the opportunity to visit.
First, they stopped at the capital, Brisbane, where he treated her to a tour of the city. She was shocked by all the modern amenities and the sleek, high-rise buildings. Shopping wasn’t his thing, but he showed her a few shops where she found some souvenirs and blouses made by local designers.
After dining on fresh seafood in a café in Noosa, they drove to the edge of the Daintree Rainforest. He couldn’t risk her tripping over the rough terrain and re-injuring her ankle, so he took the top off of his Jeep and the two of them sat inside and marveled at the lush canopy of greenery.
Then, because she told him about her interest in art, they attended a cultural festival of art and dance at Mossman Gorge. Along the way, she picked up a handmade piece of Aboriginal artwork. After that, true to his word, he carried her on his back while they walked along Whitehaven Beach, one of the top beaches in the world. She left her crutches in his vehicle.
They finished the long day with a few beers at a local bar in North Queensland, not far from his house. The best part wasn’t visiting all the familiar sights again. It was seeing Nicola’s enthusiasm and the way her eyes lit up wherever he took her. It was as though he was living vicariously through her and discovering everything again for the first time.
“I can’t believe you rarely come to this bar, yet you live so close,” she said.
The two of them perched on stools at a table near the front door. “I come here from time to time when I need to get away and have a drink,” he told her. “This place gets a little too crowded during the tourist months, when the backpackers flood in. It’s a popular destination because it’s so close to The Reef. And during the off-season, I hesitate to come because I get hounded by the locals who haven’t seen me in months. It’s hard to hide out in a town that only has a population of eight hundred.”
“Jeez, I thought I came from a small town.” She sipped from her beer; a foamy mustache covered her top lip. When she licked it away, he felt arousal stir inside his trousers.
Damn! There it goes again. Give it a rest, wanker!
He’d been fighting his attraction to her for most of the day. He looked away, willing himself not to focus on her lush lips. “You grew up in a small town?” he asked.
“My town wasn’t that small, but my neighborhood was. Everyone kept tabs on me and my sister and b
rother. We couldn’t get away with a damn thing! It was probably for the best, though. It kept me on the straight and narrow. I was a bit of a bad girl growing up.”
“Go on with ya, you liar!”
She threw back her head and laughed. The sound of it turned him on. In fact, lately, everything about her turned him on. It was getting difficult to have a conversation without focusing on the tempting swell of her lips. It was hard to make eye contact without getting swallowed up by those dark, mesmerizing orbs. And it was damn near impossible to sit beside her without wanting to pull her into his arms.
One of her long, wavy locks fell from her loose bun into her face. He couldn’t resist the urge to tuck it behind her ear. The texture felt different to him. He’d never touched a black woman’s hair before. “It’s so soft,” he murmured.
“You expected something different?”
He shook his head. “I guess not. Considering everything else about you is so soft, I shouldn’t be surprised.”
The smile she rewarded him with could have melted the coldest Australian winter night. His chest tightened, along with the bulge in his pants. With her eyes smoldering and her cheeks flushed, Nicola had never looked more desirable. God help him, he felt the need to act on that desire. She was so close he could feel the heat from her body. At this proximity, he could view every stunning detail of her face. Freshly scrubbed skin. Long, sweeping lashes. Lips slightly parted, as if begging to be kissed. It would be so easy to claim those lips. As he envisioned his mouth slanting across hers, a spark of excitement shot through his veins straight to his cock.
When had he decided he wanted this woman? Probably the moment she landed in his clinic and he’d examined her toned body from head to toe. She’d been standoffish that day, but now, she was showing him a side of her that he hadn’t seen before. The playful side that he doubted she showed many people. She was so consumed with work and being professional, she probably rarely let anyone into her private circle. He knew that type of person. He’d seen it in Lisa.
Though they’d been lovers, she’d hardly ever let her guard down with him, even during their most intimate times. She never laughed with him like Nicola was doing now. She never even got along with his family in the two years he’d known her. And yet, Nicola had managed to get along with them in the span of two hours. Based on the smiles his father gave and the look of rapture on his mother’s face, he knew they’d developed an affection for her. Hell, even Grandma liked her! Grandma was one hard person to win over. Did the old woman know something he didn’t?